Dagenham & Redbridge striker hopes win is turning point

Effiong struck in injury time to seal a 2-1 victory at Victoria Road on Saturday, ending a run of nine games without success for Daggers.

And, speaking ahead of Tuesday night’s home game with Boreham Wood, he wants them to find some momentum to climb up the table.

“We just have to take it a game at a time,” he told the club website.

“We know some of our performances have been really good, but we just haven’t had the rub of the green at times.

“We were a bit more direct and aggressive which worked for us and we need to use this now as momentum moving forward.

“It was a hard-working performance and we now need to build a base on that as we look ahead at some big games in front of us.

“We just need to not take our foot off the pedal and keep grinding out results and it will turn around for us.”

Effiong started for the third successive game, two months on from collapsing at the end of the August 19 fixture at Maidenhead United.

And he admitted it felt special to get on the scoresheet again, adding: “It’s literally a blessing to be out here and I have to thank God just for being out there after everything that has happened. 

“I never let that get me down and I was just always so determined to come back stronger, and fitter and I feel like I’ve done that. To get the winner as well, I’m buzzing!

“It was a great ball from Josh [Hare]. We had been trying to do it the whole game but had a lot of close calls with offsides, but I knew I just needed that one chance. 

“I kept saying that to the boys to just give me half a chance and I will put it away and luckily, I did.”

Boss Ben Strevens was relieved to see his side end their long wait for a win, one week on from an ’embarrassing’ FA Cup exit at Bracknell Town.

“I want to enjoy the victory because the boys deserve it, the fans as well for sticking with us,” said Strevens, whose side visit Ebbsfleet United on Saturday.

“After last weekend I completely understood their disappointment, all of us did, and the disappointment felt all around the club.

“Whenever we lose a game, especially an FA Cup game, it affects everyone, the money coming into the club, the commercial side of it, but most importantly it affects the fans because they want a good run for the team.  

“Although I didn’t come out and say it, I’ve been fully aware of the impact of last week’s result and needed a response from the boys and they did that.

“Not for me, for themselves and the club, which is the most important thing.

“Woking were in the play-offs last year. It was one win in 10, Dagenham teams against Woking, beat us home and away last year because of how physical and demanding they put it on you if you don’t stand up to it as a group collective.

“That was every single person that was on the pitch today.”